Noodles have an extended history in Japan and still today they are probably the most consumed food in the country. In general there are four types of noodles commonly eaten: soba noodles, made from buckwheat flour, are thin and grey-brown; udon noodles come from wheat flour and are very thick and whitish; ramen, still thought of as Chinese though Japanese consume them voraciously, are medium thickness and grey; lastly, hiyamugi and somen noodles are quite thin and usually eaten cold. The first three types are eaten as a kind of fast food and even the noodles served in hot soup are usually al dente, and devoured quickly, before they can go limp in the broth.